Thursday, July 27, 2017

Ghost Stories by the Campfire #scarystories

If you've been following this blog at all, you know my FAVORITE genre is creepy (but not too scary) books. The three books I chose to read this week all fit into that category!

The QUEEN of children's spooky stories just published this gem last week. Mary Downing Hahn's One For Sorrow is set in 1918, but it's content is very relevant for today's youth. Annie Brown is the new girl in school and can't wait to make friends. She's always been well liked and never had a problem fitting in with other girls. On her first day, she is immediately taken under the wing of Elise Schneider who proclaims they will be "best friends forever." Initially, Annie is excited to have a buddy until she realizes that the other girls can't stand Elise. She is mean, clingy and awkward and is later revealed to be a liar and thief. Elise has deep problems that cause her bad behavior, but the other students treat her terribly not having an ounce of sympathy for her. Poor Annie can't seem to break away from her new "friend" and falls victim to the same bullying that Elise does. When Annie is finally able to get away and befriend the popular girls, she leave Elsie alone once again. Going further, Annie joins in the relentless teasing that Elise endures.

Soon the Spanish Influenza rips through the town taking Elise as one of its victims. Annie feels badly but is also slightly relieved she will never see Elise again- or so she thinks!!! SHAZAM!! In typical Mary Downing Hahn fashion, Elise begins to haunt Annie from beyond the grave and forces her to get even with all of the mean girls. Annie feels like she is slowly losing her mind and is desperate for a way to rid herself of the ghost.

Quite honestly, I don't even have to read a summary when it comes to this author. I love everything she writes, and I know my students will as well. She's been writing since I was a little girl, and I am thrilled she is still producing scary tales. That said, I was actually a bit torn throughout my reading because Elise really is a nasty girl, and I had trouble feeling sorry for her. It's an interesting view of bullying- does a mean, hateful girl, who is sometimes a bully herself, ever deserve a taste of her own medicine? Of course no one should ever be teased, but I had a hard time finding sympathy for her. At the same time, I don't think the character could have been written any other way. She needed to be awful in life so her ghost could be awful in death. In all, a great read and my students will love it.

Where has Lauren DeStefano been all of my life? The Girl with the Ghost Machine is excellent and quite unique. This one really made me think. What if you could spend one more minute with a dearly departed soul? Would you do it at any cost?

Young Emmaline's mother died tragically, and her father has locked himself away in the basement searching for a way to bring her mother's energy back to the land of the living. He spends so much time on his ghost machine that he neglects sweet Emmaline. Much to her shock and surprise, his machine works! She can talk to her mother again- but not without a price.

This review is tough to write because I don't want to give away any of the story. There are quite a few twists and turns. I read this one to the last page without a break- it is fantastic! The characters are well written and the plot is incredibly creative. Be warned- if you have lost anyone close, it will be difficult not to think of that person while reading this book. The main theme of the story is grief and the different ways we all handle it. I finished reading with the lingering question of "what if?" for a few days after I closed it.

I am excited to add this to the library and will read some of DeStefano's other stories.

From what I can deduce, the The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street is Linday Currie's first solo novel and it's a beaut! I don't often find ghost stories for middle grades set in modern times, and it was a nice surprise.

Young Tessa is faced with a move from sunny, bright Florida to a cold and wet Chicago town. She's not happy about the move, and it's made even worse when things start to go bump in the night in her new room. Ghostly drawings appear mysteriously in Tessa's sketch book, her brother's doll cries real tears, and she feels a deep sense of sadness throughout the house. Tessa is certain there is a ghost trying to tell her something. When she accidentally blurts the truth about her haunted home, her new classmates react in a surprising way. Instead of thinking she's crazy, they vow to help her solve the mystery. Andrew, Richie, and Nina become her partners in the paranormal, and they work together to solve a puzzle that's over 100 years old. From libraries to graveyards, they leave no stone unturned to help their ghost find peace.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. I always love a ghost story that is "just right" for younger grades (4-5). It kept me on the edge of my seat but wasn't too scary or violent in any way. It's a neat story and the kids' adventure kept me interested and turning the pages. There is the usual dynamics of tweens trying to find their way and make friends, and the characters are relatable nice kids. There is one small thing bugging me- there is a character, Cassidy, who seems kind of thrown in without a purpose. I don't see a reason for her other than possibly setting up a sequal??? I did have a few unanswered questions at the end, so I'd love a second book. I'm excited to add this title to the library when it's published this October!